Submarine mining and ore-separating apparatus.



No. 629,910. Patent-61m I, I899. E. c NICHOLS.

SUBMARINE MINING AND ORE SEPARATING APPARATUS.

(Application filed Nov. 99, 1897.)

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N0. 629,9). 7 v Patented Aug. I, I899.

E. C. NICHULS. v SUBMAMNE MINING AND ORE SEPARATING APPARATUS. {Application meamv. 99, 1897.)

(No Madel.) v 7 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Patented Aug. I, l899.' E. C. NICHOLS. SUBNIARINE MINING AND ORE SE PABATING APPARATUS.

' (Application filed Nov. 29, 1897.)

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. N0. 629,9"). Patented Aug. 1, I899.

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SUBMABINE MINING AND ORE SEPRATFNG APPARATUS.

fi umuon med Nov. 29, 1am.

(No Modal.) R 7 Sheets-Sheet 4.

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No. 629,910. Patented Aug. I, 1899.

E. c. NICHOLS. SUBMARINE MINING AND ORE SEPABATING APPARATUS.

(Application filed Nov. 29, 1897,) (No Medial.) 7 Shasta-Sheet 5.

No. 629,910. v Patented Aug. I, 1899.

. E. C. NICHBLS. SUBMABINE MINING AND 0RE SEPARATING'APPABATUS.

{Application filed Nov. 99, 1897.)

7 Sheis8heet 6.

(No Model.)

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N0. 629,9"). Patented Aug. l, i899. E; C. NICHOLS.

' SUBNANINE MINING AND ORE'SEPARATING APPARATUS.

(Application mm; Nov. 99, 1897.) (No Model.) 7 sheets-Shut 7.

Witnexes fiI/entar I UNITE PATENT EDWIN c. NICHOLS, or TOPEKA, KANSAS, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF T 0 WILLIAM 0. SMITH, or SAME PLACE.

SUBMARINE MININLQAND ORE-SEPARATING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part f Letter Patent No. 29,910, dated August 1, 189a.

, Application filed November 29 1897. Serial No. 660,029. (No model.)

peka, in the county of Shawnee and Stateof Kansas, have invented a certain new and 1111,- proved Submarine Mining and Ore-Separating Apparatus; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact def scription of the invention, such as will enable others to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,

forming a part of this specification.

The objects of my invention are, first, to attack the an rife rous material in the substratum of the beds of rivers or other watercourses and separate these depositsfrom the overlying material at any desired point in the bed at will; second, to prospect and control the entrance of'the mining-shaft to the auriferoiis strata of the bed of the river at any point upon the floats; third, to regulate automatically the extension of the telescopic portion of the hollow shaft within the auriferous strata and its withdrawal; fourth, to attack and separate the auriferons strata at various inclined planes to the bed, bar, or bank of the river; fifth, to enable a continuous separation to be maintained of material discharged at any point upon the side of the sluiceway of the floats 3 sixth, to enable the reciprocal move? ments of the car and of the power devices upon said car to be controlled from one location upon the floats. v

My invention consists in the novel con struction and combination of parts, such as will first be fully described, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the water-carriage, showing the intermediate I the movable car, and motors connected with the switch in the station, also showing the motor for operating the screw-propeller to the water earriage' and the various washers forseparating' the ore from the amalgam. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the watier-carriage and ore separating apparatus, taken upon the line as w of Fig; 1. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional View of the movable car and suction-pipe. Fig.4 is a transverse view,in vertical section, of the water-carriage, taken upon the lines of Fig. l, showing the fluines in section, also showing the movable car and the telescopic material fsnpplying shaft and reversing-gear and motor upon the car, and also the separator and the rotary amalgamating vessels at the rear end of the water-carriage. Fig. 5 is a side view of the movable car above the sluice of the watercarriage, showing an enlarged detail of the material-conveyer, as in Fig. 2, the elevated position of telescopic part of the materialconveyer being shown in dotted lines, also showing the belt and belt-pulley in the mo tor-shaft for operating the reversing-shaft to the material-conveying hollow shaft and its motor and the automatic belt-shiftingdevice. Figld is a detail sectionalviewof the stationary and telescopic portionof the hollow shaft, showing'thefeathered gear-wheel in section. Fig. 7 isadetail'side view, enlarged,

of the mov'able' car on the floats, with the' showing the bevel-gear and the belt-driving I shaft carrying the bevel-gear, meshing with the bevel-gear on the reversing-shaft. Fig. 9 is a broken plan view of the rear end of the platform of the car, showing the motor and about one-fifth the described distance.

belt-pulleys for reversing the action of the shaft having the worm, also showing the beltshifting bar. Fig. 10 is a sectional View in detail of the telescopic portion of the discharge-pipe leading from the suction and force pump. Fig. 11 is a detail side view of the movable car, showing a rotary platform and means for suspending and vibrating the frame for the material-supplying hollow shaft in alternate positions upon the car. Fig. 12 is a plan view of the movable car and also the rotary platform as seen in Fig. ll, showing the means for changing the angle of inclination of the frame for the material-conveying hollow shaft and also the lateral movement of said frame.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a floating barge or water-carriage which is designed more particularly for harbor or river navigation and is composed of two separate floats B 13, each having a water-tight compartment 1), extending from one end of the float to the other. The bottom 19 of each float is flat and in general construction permits a light draft, while in buoyancy they will sustain the weight of the machinery and also all ore necessary for treatment. The sides b b of float B are vertical, and extending the entire length of the float is a horizontal deck 19*, which also extends in width from the outer edge of the side Z2 to the outer edge of the side I). The float B is constructed precisely the same as the float B, with the vertical sides I) b and deck U, which latter is upon the same horizontal plane as the deck b The floats B B are arranged a comparatively short distance apart, and between the respective sides 12 b of said floats is a sluice b of equal width at both ends of said barge. The forward ends of the floats B B are connected by a transverse floor-beam 5 which extends from the outer side portion of the float B to the outer side portion of the float B and in width from the forward end of said floats in the direction of the rear end The rear end portion of said floats is connected by the transverse flooror deck beams Z9 which extend the same described distance from the rear end of said floats toward the forward end as described of the deck-beam b". A short distance from the rear end of float B and connected with the outer portion of the side 5 of said floats is a vertical wall I)", which extends in a transverse direction to the sluice b and is connected with the side I) of the float B. lVith the bottom I) of the float B, in sluiceway b is connected a horizontal extension b, which extends transversely to the said sluice and is connected with the bottom portion of the float B and extends from the under side of the wall I) rearwardly the described length of the end of the respective floats, and from the rear edge of which extends upwardly and rearwardly a stern-wall D conforming to the inclined rear end of each float, thus forming a water-tight compartment b between said floats. In the bottom of compartment b is a shaft 0, which is mounted in the journalbearings c c, and extends through the sternwall Z1 of said compartment, and upon the outer end of said shaft 0 is a screw-propeller G, by means of which the water-carriage is moved from one position to another in the stream. On shaft 0 is a bevel-gear 0 Above shaft 0 is a vertical shaft 0 upon the lower end of which shaft is a bevel-gear 0 which meshes with the bevel-gear o The upper end of shaft 0 extends through deck Z9 of the floats B B and is provided with a bevelgear 0 (See Fig. 1.) Close in position to the gear 0 upon the deck Z9 is a motor D, uponone end of the driving-shaft of which is a bevel-gear d, which is thrown in and out of gear with the bevel-gear c ,an (1 upon the other end is a pulley d for the purpose herein described.

Upon the deck of the float B and extending in the longitudinal direction of said float and near the line of the outer position of the side 6 is a track-rail 6. Upon the other float B and near the line of the side Z) is a track-rail 6', both rails e e extending in length from the transverse deck beam 6 to the transverse deck-beam 5 Above the sluice 6* is a movable platform-car E, the flange-wheels e of which upon one side of said car move upon track-rail e and the flange-wheels 6 upon the other side upon track-rail 6. Upon the platform of the car E, a short distance from the forward end portion, is a rotary suction and force pump F, of the well-known construction, having the pumpshaft f. Upon the forward end of the platform of the car is a motor G, mounted upon a support 9, the shaft g of which motor is rigidly connected with the shaftfof the rotary pump. WVith the under side portion of the platform of the carE is connected a stationary frame E, which is composed of the beams e 6 connected at their upper ends with said platform ashort distance from the axles of the wheels 6 6 respectively, near one side of the platform of the car, and the lower ends extended downwardly within the sluice Z) to a position in line with the bottom portions 17 of the floats B B. Near the other side of the platform of the car are the beams 6 e which extend from the under side of the platform the same described distance in sluice b as described of the beams e 6 The lower ends of the beams e e are connected together by a horizontal beam (2 and the lower ends of the beams c e by the horizontal beam 6 (See Figs. 2 and 3.) Connected with the beams 6 e at a point equidistant from the beam 6 and the platform of the car, are separate beams'e c and also con nected with beams 61 6 at the same described distance above beam 6 as described of beams 6 e are the beams e 6 Extending from the beam e" to the beam 6 at a point equidistant from the opposite ends of said beams, are transverse supporting-beams e e, and extending from the separate beams e e to the separate beams c e are transverse connecting-beams e a. (See Fig. 4.)

With the induction-opening to the pumpcase F is connected one end of a materialeonveying hollow shaft f, the other end of which shaft extends downwardly between the beams e e to a position a short distance below the line of the under side of beam 2 With the lower end of the portion f of the hollow shaft is connected a rotary hollow shaft f which fits over or telescopes with the hollow shaft f, and its upper end extends to a position a short distance above the beam 6 On the outside portion of the telescopic portion f of the hollow shaftf is a longitudinal groove f which extends from the upper end downwardly a suitable distance or abontonee half the described length of said shaft. Upon the said portion f of the shaft is a diskor ring f which in its lowest position is near the upper side portion of the beam c On the telescopic portion f of the hollow shaft, between the beams e e, is a gear f, in which is a feather f which extends within the groove f of shaft f and permits the said portion f of the shaft to slide through the gear. With the lower portion of the telescopic portion of the hollow shaft is connected the shank h of the cutter H, which extends at an angle outwardly from the outer side of the shaft a short distance and thence downwardly a short distance above the open end of said shaft and is provided with a trowelshaped blade-cutter H. A series of the blades and shanks are connected with the lower portion of the hollow shaft f extending around said shaft at equal distances apart and curving inwardly toward each other, so as to cut and start the material upwardly in the hollow shaft.

With ,the eduction-opening of the fan-case F is connected the discharge-pipe f, which extends upwardly a short distance and is provided with an elbow f which turns or swivels upon the pipe f WVith the elbow f are connected the separate pipesf f which telescope one within another and are extended for the purpose hereinafter described. With pipe f is connected an elbow f Close in position to the portion f of the hollow pipe and upon one side of said pipe is a rotary shaft Z, (see Fig. 4,) which is stepped at its lower end in the beam 8 The said shaft 1 is journaled in suitable journal-boxes upon the beams e c and extends through the platform of the car and a short distance above said platform, and upon said end is a bevelgear t'. (See Figs. 8 and 9.). Upon shaft 1, between the beams 6 ch, is a gear i which meshes with the gear f on the hollow shaft f Onthe lower end of shaft Z, between the beams e 6 is a worm '5 with which worm the disk or collar f is engaged.

Upon the rear end portion and near one .the lower end of said rod is a disk 0.

side of the platform of the car E is a motor K, the motor-shaft 7c of which extends in the direction of the fan-case F a considerable distance and is journaled in separate journalboxes upon the upright standards 70. Upon the motor-shaft 7:, between the standards fr, are the separate fixed pulleys 712 70 k Near the other side of the platform of the car is a separate shaft m, upon which are the loose pulleys m m and an intermediate fixed pulley m Over the pulley 7& is connected one end of a belt W, the other end of which belt is twisted once and extended over pulley m and the two ends connected together in the usual manner. Over the pulley k is extended one end of a belt is, the

other end of which belt is extended over the pulley m and the two ends con nected together platform and through the beams 6 ,6 and 6 in which said rod is journaled, and upon Upon rod 0, above the beam c is a rigidly-connected disk 0', which extends beneath the lower edge of the disk f on the telescopic hollow shaft f A short distance above the disk 0 is a fixed disk 0 which disks are actuated by the disk f on shaft f as follows:

Upon the platform of the car E is a bellcrank lever 0 which is pivotally connected with a support 0 on the said platform, one arm 0 of the lever being pivotally connected with the npper'end of the rod O. Near the outer side portion of the support 70 for the motor-shaft 7c of the motor K and to a support 0 on the platform of the car is pivotally connected a crank-arm 0 (see Fig. 7) of the same length as the arm 0 upon the bell-crank lever. p i l o is the belt-shifting bar, which extends horizontally in rear of the supports k k for the motor-shaft K and is bent at an angle in an upward direction at each end, one bent portion being pivotally connected with the arm 0 of the bell-crank lever and the other bent portion with the outer end of the crankarm 0 With the bar 0 are rigidly connected the lateral bars 0 0 upon the outer end of which bars is a shoe 0 one of which shoes engages with the belt 70 on pulley 7.0 and the other with the belt 7 on pulley 71:

Upon the top of the platform of the car and at each end are the fixed standards 10 p of the. frame P, which standards are near the line of the side of said platform, and upon the other side of said platform are standards 10 10'. The standards 10 0 atone end of the car are connected together at the top by the" transverse beam 19 and at the rear endof the car by the transverse beam 19 7 With one side of the frame P is connected a sluice 19 which extends downwardly a short distance in one angle of inclination to the point f, in line with the outer side of the the under side of said track-rail.

float B. Beneath the lower end of the sluice p is a track-rail 13 which extends the entire length of the float between the forward and rear decks b b With the under side portion of the sluice 19 above the track rail 19 are flanged wheels f, which are journaled in the hangersp on the under side of said sluice.

With the other side of the frame P is connected a sluice 19 which is precisely the same as the sluice 19 upon the other side of frame P, and which sluice 19 extends to the side of the float B and is supported upon a track-rail 19 in the same manner as described of the sluice 10 In the bottom of the sluice p directly beneath the elbow f 10 of the pipe f is a coarse screen p. In the sluice p upon the other side of the frame I, is a coarse screen or grating, which is the same as screen 19.

For the purpose of preventing the car E from being raised in position upon the track rails in a recoil of the shafts f'f in meeting a resistance in the bed of the stream a trackrail 5 is secured to the inner side b of the float B a short distance below the top of the said float, and which extends the same distance as the track-rail c in the said float. Upon the float B and the inner side b of said float is a track-rail b, which extends the same distance as the track-rail 19 On the beam (2 of the frame E is a wheel 6 which is journaled' upon said frame and bears upon I On the beams e e of frame E is journaled a wheel e ,which travels on the guide-track b". Upon the beams e e are wheels 6 which are similar to the wheels traveling upon the guiderail Z7 On shaft 5- is a pulley 1), over which is extended one end of a belt 1), the other end of which belt extends over the pulley d on the shaft of motor D upon the deck Z9 of the floats.

Directly in rear of the motor D is a twostory covered station or house V, the upper room v of which is reached'by the stairs '0.

Upon the deck 19 and directly in rear of the rotary vessel S is a generator W of electricity, which generator is actuated by the belt 12 on the shaft, drawn by power from the driving-wheels on an engine W. At one side of the generator W is a boiler, and w is the pipe supplying the steam from the boiler to the engine. e e are conductors connected with the separate poles of the generator W and extending to the switchboard v in the room 12 of the station or house V. From the switchboard v are separate conductors e e extending to the poles of the motor D.

For'the purpose of moving the car E to and fro upon the track 6 c on the floats B B a motor 12 is arranged beneath the platform of the car E, (see Fig. 7 on the shaft 22 of which motor is a pinion 12, which meshes with a gear 0 which in turn meshes with a gear z on the rear axle of the car. Vith the under side portion of the platform of the car and a short distance in rear of the beam 6 is an arm v made from heavy steel and tempered so as to spring outward with great force. On the lower end of the spring-arm 0 are three separate roller-contactsv 0 c Upon the other side of the platform and in rear of the beam e (see Fig. 4) on car E is a spring-arm it, which is provided with roller-contacts, as described of the spring-arm v With the motor G on the car and one pole of said motor is connected one end of a conductor '0, the other end of which conductor is connected with the roller-contact 1 With the other pole of motor G is connected a conductor which extends to aroller-contact on the arm 1 in the same position as the roller 11 said connections being made in the Wellknown manner of trolley connections.

With the pole of motor K is connected one end of a conductor t the other end of which conductor extends to the trolley-wheel v on arm 11 With the other pole of the motor is connected a conductor which extends to a trolley-wheel on the arm 21 in the same position as upon the arm 11 With the motor o beneath the car and one pole is connected one end of a conductor 1;", the other end of which conductor extends to the trolley-Wheel 4; on arm 12 With the other pole of the motor K is connected one end of a separate conductor which is connected with a trolley upon the arm 0 corresponding to the position of the trolley e on said arm.

With the switchboard '0 in the room of the station V are connected a series of conducting-wires @1 which extend along the inner edge of the deck-beam of the float B a short distance below the upper edge and are suitably held in position in insulations on the said beam, so as to permit contact with the trolleys. One of said series of Wiresextends to one of the poles of the motor 15 which operates the pump T on the forward end of deck 19*. The other wires extend to the line of the forward deckb", each coming into contact with one of the separate trolleys 0 v 12 With the switchboard v is connected a series of conducting-wires 0 which extend along the inner side of the float B, one of which extends direct to the other pole of motor i and the other conducting-wires are extended to the deck I)", with which the trolleys upon arm n come into contact. I

Upon the deck b in the rear end of float B is a longitudinal stationary tank X, and adjacent thereto is a smaller tank as, which is connected by means of a pipe 00' with tank X. With tank X is connected a dischargepipe :0 which extends in. the direction of the rear end of float B.

For the purpose of obtaining lateral as well as vertical movements and adjustable position of the hollow material-conveying shaft upon the movable car upon the track-rails e e on the respective floats B B the track-rails e e are extended to the forward end of the deck 6 being a continuation of the track-rails e 6' upon said floats, to which reference is made. (See Figs. 10 and 11, which figures represent an alternate method of reaching an riferous material to that shown in the former illustrations.)

In Figs. 10 and 11, Y represents the platform of the car, which is nearly of the same dimensions as the platform E and which is mounted on the said extended portions e e of the track-rails e e on the floats B B and is operated by a motor beneath the car, as seen in Fig. 7 of the drawings.) Upon the platform of car Y is a rotary platform 1 pivoted at y to said platform and which is circular in form. In the forward partof the platform Y is an opening 11 On each side of the opening 3 are brackets 1 if,

which carry the journal-boxes 'y y in which is journaled a shaft y. With the shaft y are rigidly connected the side beams 51 11 at the upper end of the frame 1 which frame is similar to and nearly of the same length as the frame E in Figs. 2, 4, and 6 of the draw ings and is the same in width and length. In frame g is a telescopic hollow shaft, which is mounted in the frame 3 in the same manner asthe parts of the hollow shaft f f and which telescopic part is operated. by-a worm on shaft 11 both shafts being geared together with gear-y which are the same as gear f and said hollow shaft having feather-gear the same as gear f in the other views, the movement of the telescopic part of the hollow shaft being accomplished by a rod y, which is thesame as rod 0, the mode of transmitting power to the worm, however, and also for operating the frame 1/ being as follows: On the shaft of the motor 1 is a gear which engages with a gear 3 on the upper end of the shaft g carrying the worm, with which worm the disk y on the shaft 1, engages as upon the hollow shaft f In rear of the shaft y is the rotary pump g which is the same as pump F in Fig. 1, with the induction-opening of which pump is connected one end of a flexible pipe 1 the other end being connected with the upper end of the upper section of the shaft y. In rear of the pump if is a motor L1 which is the same 7 as the motor K on the platform of the car E,

the motor-shaft, however, being directly connected with the pump-shaft of pump 12 and and is operated electrically, as described of the motor K.

In order to operate the frame 3, vertically, upon the upper end of the frame if is connected one end of a racky the other end of which rack extends rearwardly in a single upwardly-extended curved line. In front of the shaft y is a standard 1 which is slotted at the upper end to receive the rack In rear of the motor 31 is a standardy Thro ugh the upper ends of the standards 3 and @4 extends a shaft 3,1 upon one end of which is a worm 1 which engages with the rack 1 on the frame 1 and upon the other end is a wheel 3 Upon therear end portion of the platform 1 is a curved rack z.

Upon the platform of the carY is an uprightor standard Z, the upper end of which extends over the said platform y a short distance. On the inner side of the standard is journaled a gear-wheel .2 which meshes with the rack ,2" on the rotary platform. Above the gear z is a small spur gear 2 which meshes with the gear .2 and which gear 2 is provided with a shaft 2 on the outer end of which isa wheel a for operating the spur-gear and. rotating the platform y from one position to another in the arc of a circle.

In the operation of the apparatus for the purposes designed the floats B B are propelled by the propeller O, whichreceives the power from the motor D on the deck 5 to the designated place in the river or stream at which operations are to be directed in the river-bed, and by means of anchor Z the carriage is anchored in position, the generator of electricity W being set at work by the power transmitted through the belt '0 to its driven shaft from the driving-wheel of the engine W. The current so generated is transmitted through the conducting-wires 22 to the switchboard '0 in station V wheneveraswitch connection is made with the conducting-wires to any motor. For the purpose of illustration the car E is shown at the forward end of the floats,-from which point the car moves slowly in a rearward direction upon the track 6 e. In the position as shown the telescopic part f of the hollow shaft f is raised above the bed of the river in the position as seen in dotted lines in Fig. 5. The operator throws the switch connecting the wires upon the switchboard o with the motor K, and at the same time to the motor G, in which action the pump T is set in motion, and the reversing-belt being in position uponthe pulleys k and m a reverse movement is communicated to shaft m and shaft 6, and the disk f is moved by' the reverse movement of the worm i downwardly, the telescopic part f being permitted to slide through the gear f by means of the feather in said gear, the power of the shaft 1, which carries the worm, also causing a rotary motion to be given to the telescopic part f of the hollow shaft, the inwardly-inclined cutters or blades I-I entering the upper strata of the soil in the bed of the river at the lowest point of operation of the shaft, at which point the disk f on shaft f strikes the disk don the rod 0, drawing said a disk downwardly to the beam e also drawing disk 0 on rod 0, and the rod is moved upwardly, actuating the bell-crank lever and the belt-shiftin g bar 0 and throwing the belts upon the pulleys m as before described. During the operation of motor K this movement of the hollow shaft f is constantly repeated. When the movement of said part f of the hollow shaftis in a downward direction, the desired depth is reached in the river-bed, which comprises the auriferous material, which through a long period of years and by the slow process of filtration the metal in fine particles is deposited by gravity, and which material requires the treatment in successive stages, for which the above-described apparatus is designed, in order to separate the metal in its entirety after being separated from the strata of soil which the hollow shaft f penetrates. During the time in which the lower end of the hollow shaft f is opening a passage to the auriferous material the suction and force pump P is drawing the loosened soil and stones, mixed with water, which impedes the way of the shaft, through the portions ff and ejecting the same through the pipe f which falls upon the coarse screen or grate 19, the stone and coarse material passing down the incline portion 13 over the side of the float and the auriferous material upon the portion '1' of the flume R. During the reciprocal movement of the-telescopic part f of the hollow shaft in upward and downward direction the operation at the switchboard o communicates power to the motor o beneath the car E and the car moves a short distance rearwardly as soon as the belts on the pulleys shift their position and the part f 2 of the hollow shaft reaches its highest position, thus presenting a new material to be operated upon when the hollow shaft descends into the bed of the river. During the rearward movement of the car E the material which falls through the screens 19 will fall upon the screens 5 s s in flume 7* until the car reaches a point indicated by the standard r past which point the screenings fall upon the conduit 1', mixed with the water drawn by the pump, which passes to the end of the conduit and falls upon the flume r, the fine screenings which fall upon the burlap of the under conduit r also holding the fine metal which is left in the cloth. As the water slowly penetrates the fibers the material passing along the burlap is caused to fall upon the flume r and into the strong current of water flowing from pump T. In this manner the described distance of the floats at the bed of the river is thoroughly prospected and the material subjected to treatment and separation at any point on the floats, the whole operation being under the control of one person.

\Vhen a bank upon the side of a stream is to be attacked, the construction seen in Figs. 13 and 14: will be advantageously employed and may be an additional fixture upon the forward end of the floats to be used when occasion requires and operated in like manner upon the track-rails as described ofthe car E or the construction upon said car Y in order to gain the change of angle desired.

The washing of the burlap may be done in the tank U U at the forward end of the floats, the deposits being carefully removed and subjected to separation on the tank 00, adjacent to the tank X, and the tank 16 adjacent to the tank U. p

I have described the operation of the apparatus upon one side of the water, vessel, or float B, the mode of operation being precisely the same on the screens r r and on the flume r on float B, the large amount of material to be treated requiring that-operations may be alternately conducted upon one side or the other of the floats in order to permit repairs to the screens to be made and for other purposes. In order to change the flow of water, the pipe t is swung so as to present the end t on the other side of the partition W", and the water follows the flume r The materialconveying pipe f is moved in position so as to bring the end f over the screen in chute p and the operation is conducted in precisely the manner described on the one side of the water-carriage.

IVith the aid of the car I am enabled to employ a hollow shaft of any desired size and change its position upon the floats expeditiously until the proper location is found to begin operations in the bed of the stream. The ordinary earth'auger may be employed on the rotary portion of the shaft instead of the blades and the apparatus upon the frame used for dry digging. In case the telescopic portion of the shaft should meetaresistance in going down greater than the power on the belts the belts will slip on the pulleys, and thus prevent injury to the said portion of the shaft.

Having fully described my invention, what I now claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1; In a submarine mining apparatus, a frame, a motor upon said frame and a stationary material-conveying hollow shaft supported within said frame, a suction and force pump connected with said shaft, said shaft also having a separate telescopic portion, rotating power.- conveying devicesconnected with the motor and said telescopic portion of said shaft, an elevating apparatus upon said frame, also connected with the telescopic portion of said shaft, and separate power-reversing mechanism upon said frame connected with said shaft, elevating apparatus, and also connected with said motor.

2. In a submarine-mining apparatus, a water-carriage and a frame upon said carriage, and a stationary material-conveying hollow shaft supported within said frame, having a telescopic portion, a suction and forcing apparatus and a conductor connected with the induction-opening to said apparatus and also with said shaft, a motor upon said water-carriage, and a rotary shaft having a worm upon the frame carrying said hollow shaft, a powerconveyer connected with the shaft of said motor and the telescopic end portion of said hollow shaft, and a collar upon said telescopic portion of said shaft engaging with said worm,

and means for reversing the action of said motor. I

3. In a submarine-mining apparatus, a water-carriage and a platform upon said carriage, an oscillating frame, and a shaft with which said frame is connected, suitably supported upon said platform, and a hollow shaft adapted to be extended to the bed of the river, supported within said frame, a suction and forcing apparatus upon said platform, and a pipe having .a flexible joint connected with the induction-opening to said suction and forcing apparatus, and also with said hollow shaft, and a frame upon said platform, and a worm upon said frame, and a curved rack upon said oscillating frame. I

4. In a submarine-mining apparatus, a W213 tion adapted to be extended to thebed of the stream, a motor and mechanism connected with said motor, actuating said car and adjustin g the position of said telescopic portion of said shaft simultaneously.

5. In a submarine-mining apparatus, a water-carriage comprising side floats having an intermediate sluice, track rails upon each float on opposite sides of said sluice, a car having a platform upon said track-rails, and a frame connected with the platform of said car and extending within said sluice, a material-conveyin g hollow shaft supported within said frame, having a telescopic portion adapted to be extended to the bed of the stream, a feathered gear and a slot in the telescopic portion of said shaft, a shaft upoii'said frame, and a gear upon said shaft engaging with the gear on the telescopic portion of said shaft and a worm, a collar on the telescopic portion of said shaft engaging with the said worm, a motor upon the platform of said car, having a driving-shaft and shaft-reversing devices connected with the shaft carrying said worm and the shaft of said motor;

sluice, a platform-car upon said track-rails 7 above said sluice, and a frame connected with the under side portion of the said platform,

a material-conveying hollow shaft having a telescopic portion adapted to be extendedto the bed of the stream, and a track-rail upon the inner side of each float, and guide-wheels upon the frame carrying said hollow shaft adapted to bear against the underside of said rails.

8. An apparatus for removing auriferous and other material, comprising a frame and a hollow rotary shaft within said frame, having gear upon one end and a number of cutting-blades at the other end, a driving-shaft within said frame having gear meshing with the gear on the hollow rotary shaft and a motor having a suitable source of power upon said frame actuating the said driving-shaft.

9. An apparatusfor removing auriferous' and other material, comprising a frame, a fixed shaft within said frame, and a hollow shaft telescoping with the fixed shaft having a coupling and a feather-gear upon said telescopic portion of said shaft, said shaft having a slot through which the feather slides, a

separate shaft having a gear meshing with the gearon the telescopic hollow shaft and a worm on said shaft and a collar on the said telescopic hollow shaft engaging with said worm, a motor upon said frame actuating the shaft having said worm and having a drivingshaft and power-conveyers connected with said driving-shaft and the source of power, and means for reversing at will the movement of the power-shaft of the motor.

10. An apparatus for removing auriferous and other material comprising a frame, a fixed shaft within said frame and a hollow shaft telescoping with thefixed shaft having feathered gear, said hollow shaft having a slot in which the feather slides, a separate shaft having a gear meshing with the gear on the hollow shaft and a worm on said shaft and a collar or stud on the said hollow shaft engaging with said worm, a motor upon said frame actuating said separate shaft having said worm and suitable conductors of power connected with the source of power and said motor and a switch for reversing the said motor, and a movable rod on said frame having separate disks or studsin the path of and contacting with the disk on the hollow shaft and also connected with said switch.

EDWIN C. NICHOLS.

lVitnesses: I

HENRY P. LowENsTnIN, Tnnononn O. SPARKS. 

